It All Happened On the Seaside
by beestriped
Summary: Teddy Lupin and Victoire Weasley are a pair that have to go hand in hand. A one-shot about the first Weasley and a blue-haired boy.


Victoire Weasley was born on the seaside. In a sweet cottage her parents received the first-born of their children with all the grace and delight of newly minted parents. The bouncing baby girl grew to inherit her mother's fair tresses and her father's shining blue eyes. She possessed the creamy Weasley skin, scattered with constellations of freckles, angel kisses Fleur called them. Her childhood was a waltz, flowing effortlessly with joy. As the first of the Weasley clan, Victoire had been born into a unique position. When her siblings and cousins were born, with increasing rapidity, she welcomed them with wide grins. She commanded them from the very beginning, an imperious and determined young girl with sunshine locks. Victoire was the sun around which the other members of the Weasley-Potter clan orbited like loud redheaded planets. Her favorite uncle was not Harry, although who could not love Uncle Harry? It was George. It was sad, tragic George who had slowly put the pieces back together, more painfully than anyone else after the end of the Second Wizarding War. Maybe tiny Victoire felt the tragedy that ran through George's veins, covered by layer after layer of laughter and noise and fun. Although everyone else remained somber on her birthday in remembrance of the Battle of Hogwarts, Uncle George sent his favorite niece oversized baskets of goodies from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Most of the things in the basket were confiscated by Bill but Victoire loved the fun-filled presents all the same.

When Teddy Lupin met Victoire Weasley for the first time, it was not directly after the latter's birth. Andromeda Tonks brought her grandson along to see the first Weasley baby a few months after Victoire came into the world. Teddy was neither reverent nor happy when he first laid eyes on Victoire, this was largely due to the fact that it is difficult for a child of two to be precociously reverent of a squirming baby. He gave her no pet name or even an attempt to correctly pronounce her real name. Privately the two-year old thought that Victoire was a bizarre name for anything, let alone a baby girl. He wanted to go home and have sweets, this whole baby thing was irksome because all of the adults were fawning over stupid Victoire instead of him. So he threw a tantrum, turning his hair bright red to signal his annoyance. Unfortunately for Teddy, he was largely ignored.

Teddy's initial dislike for Victoire didn't last very long. After she learned to walk, he would lead her around, showing her off like a horse at a fair. Around this time, his hair settled to its natural color of turquoise blue to the never-ending amusement of Victoire. They grew up quickly, becoming closer as they got older. This was largely out of necessity for they were the oldest children at Potter-Weasley events and they were too old to play with the silly babies that were abundant at such gatherings. Teddy loved to visit Shell Cottage, the beach was visible from the kitchen window. Victoire was nearly always there, reading or hunting for shells or watching baby Louis play in the sand. Together they built sandcastles and swam for hours until they collapsed on the dry sand with the feeling of the waves around them still.

The time came when Teddy inevitably had to leave for Hogwarts. He had asked his grandmother if Victoire could go with them to Platform 9 ¾ and Andromeda had agreed. She was used to Victoire's near constant presence around Teddy and it only seemed natural for her to go with. Nine-year old Vicoire was in a state close to panic when they arrived at King's Cross. Her throat felt tight and her hands clammy. This feeling only worsened at they ran through the barrier. At last it came time for Teddy to board the Hogwarts Express. Andromeda hugged him first, tighter than she ever had before. She woke up every day wishing that her daughter was still alive but that desire was stronger today than ever before. How proud Tonks would be to see her tall blue-haired son grinning with excitement at the thought of Hogwarts. Victoire threw her small arms around Teddy who could barely contain himself. She had thought she'd be able to keep it together when Teddy left, it wouldn't be that hard to find other people to play with. Teddy hugged his best friend back tightly, Victoire was like his little sister and it would be weird without her always around. "Don't forget me Theodore Lupin," Victoire instructed firmly in her bossy older sister voice. "'Course not, Toire," came the good-natured reply as Teddy proffered his pinky finger. Victoire locked it with her own and they shook on it, their own Unbreakable Vow. Teddy threw his arms around his grandmother once more before dashing off onto the scarlet train. Andromeda sniffed loudly, putting an arm around the small shoulders of the blonde girl waving furiously at the train.

Inside the train, Teddy was looking for a compartment. Finally he found one; its sole occupant a black boy who was staring dreamily out the window. "I'm Ted," he said, sticking out his hand, having previously decided that Teddy was rather childish sounding for an eleven year old. The stranger raised a brow before taking Teddy's hand and shaking firmly. "Nice to meet you Ted, I'm Parker." He said, patting the seat next to him. "Wanna see me turn my hair a different color?" Teddy asked eagerly.

Victoire mourned the absence of her best friend for a week before moving on. There was Dominique to play with now at least, maybe even Louis. Two years passed, Teddy was Sorted into Hufflepuff and came home for Christmas and during summer holidays. Victoire was incredibly envious of Teddy's magnificent and exciting life at Hogwarts. She begged him for stories and spent hours wondering what House she would be placed in. Finally September 11th rolled around and Victoire woke at the crack of dawn, making sure that everything was packed neatly into her school trunk. On Platform 9 ¾ she hugged her parents tightly before flouncing off to board the train, behind her she could hear Dominique and Louis start to wail. She carried the carrier for her new pet; a kitten whom had been christened Strudel in honor of her favorite treat. She found a compartment containing three girl who each looked equally awkward and shy. Teddy had told her about meeting Parker on the train, how Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron, and Uncle Harry had all met on their first trip to Hogwarts. Taking a deep breath and steadying herself, just like Grand Mere` Apolline had taught her. Then she walked into the compartment and smiled her most dazzling smile before introducing herself.

The view of Ravenclaw table was magnificent from Victoire's seat. She thought that no other House could compare. The Sorting Hat had deliberated, dancing between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor and, shockingly, Slytherin. Twisting around in her seat Victoire caught a glimpse of Teddy who grinned and waved brightly at her. One of the girls who had been in her train compartment, Helen, had been Sorted into Ravenclaw as well and was now sitting next to her. Victoire smiled reassuringly at her.

Days passed and then weeks. Victoire settled into Hogwarts happily. She liked all of her classes but found that she had a knack for Charms and Transfiguration although she excelled in all of them. She caught sight of Teddy every now and then in the corridors and occasionally had a meal with him at the Hufflepuff table. He had tried out for the Quidditch team and gotten the position of Seeker, unsurprising for the godson of _the _Harry Potter. Even though she wrapped herself in a scarf of blue and silver, Victoire still trekked to the Quidditch Pitch to watch him play in every game, cheering for him unless it was against her own house in which case she kept her mouth firmly shut. She had to admit that he was a marvelous flier, swooping through the sky and coming down with windblown, tangled blue hair. It was then that she first noticed a couple of girls giggle when he landed back on earth, trying for all the world to swagger of the Pitch. Whenever this occurred, Victoire rolled her eyes at the silliness of girls. Teddy probably never even saw them.

But in her third year Victoire found out that Teddy Lupin did indeed notice girls. They were still best friends of course, she told him anything that troubled her and he did his best to look out for her without her noticing. The two year age gap meant that they spent time apart, which made the time that they spent together all the better. On her first trip to Hogsmeade he showed her around, escorting her personally to her delight. It was on one of these trips to Hogsmeade that she first saw him holding hand with Kate Lee. The initial feeling that washed over her one similar to her heart sinking into her stomach. She reasoned this away as hurt that Teddy hadn't told her that he fancied Kate Lee. Kate Lee, with her dark short hair and her lively brown eyes was fun and exciting, perfect for _Ted,_ Victoire thought bitterly. Brushing her hair over her shoulder, she continued down the lane with Helen.

Victoire got her first boyfriend later that year and, still bearing a grudge against Teddy, didn't tell him. His expression when he saw her holding hands with Lawrence Gardner was one of perfect surprise, making Victoire wish she had a camera with her. Later he reprimanded her, telling her to be careful with boys. In striking defiance of this warning, Victoire dated four other boys that year. She dated four boys the following year and three during her Fifth Year.

All of a sudden Teddy was going away again, this time he was leaving Hogwarts for the last time. His graduation present from Uncle Harry was a pile of Galleons that he was using to go traveling the world. Parker would be going with him and together they were determined to see everything that there was to see. Again Victoire was green with envy of him. Like the seaside where she had grown up, Victoire was never able to keep still for long, flooding with enthusiasm before rolling back like the tide. Boys at Hogwarts had learned that Victoire's nature was one that they would never be able to grasp, to hold, to keep as theirs. No one could claim her, though that didn't stop anyone from trying. As she got older the Veela blood that coursed through Victoire's veins started to work faint traces of its magic. She was charming and clever and alarmingly pretty. Her wheat-colored hair tumbled down her back and her eyes still shined like her father's. Teddy Lupin became increasingly aware of this. More often than not he found himself lost in the contemplation of her creamy skin or her slender build or her elegant legs that seem to stretch for an eternity from under her uniform skirt. Parker was all too familiar with the thought patterns of his best friend and often had to ram him in the abdomen to jolt his friend back to reality.

On Platform 9 3/4 Victoire stood with Teddy for the last time in the next two years. The vast number of red and black haired Potter-Weasley clan was nowhere in sight for once. "Don't break too many hearts this year, 'Toire" Teddy teased, uncomfortable with the tension in the air. Victoire looked her best friend up and down, some time ago he had shot up like a sprout and acquired a set of broad shoulders. When had that happened, she mused. "You'd better write to me all the time, don't you forget me Theodore Lupin." She commanded in an imperious tone not unlike the one she had used all those years ago. Teddy remembered this and stuck out his, much larger, pink finger for her to grasp. Victoire smiled brightly at this as she grasped his finger and shook, sealing the promise.

Neither of them knew how exactly it happened or even who started it. But suddenly, amidst all the hustle and bustle and scarlet and steam, Teddy leaned down and caught Victoire's lips with his own. For a half of a second she was startled but then the sea in her tumbled forward and she wrapped her arms around his neck, stretching to deepen the kiss. His broad hands grasped her waist tightly and she thought she never wanted this moment to end. "What are you doing?" came an appalled young voice from behind them. Teddy whirled around to see James Potter standing there with a look of shocked disgust on his face. "I'm seeing her off, James, go away." Teddy ordered. James threw the pair a look of the highest disapproval before dashing off and getting lost in the steam.

Teddy did go off and see the world with Parker. They saw everything that they possibly could, soaking everything up. The food and the sights and the different magical colors. While he was roaming the world, a small, very quiet but very insistent part of Teddy begged him to return to England, to home and to Victoire. Now that he was hundreds of miles away he missed her hundreds times more. He wrote her often but there was never a mention of the mishap at Platform 9 3/4. Life at Hogwarts stayed the same for Victoire he learned through the letters. Her seventh year she was made Head Girl, an honor he was sure had been celebrated all day and all night at the Burrow. Bitterly Teddy wished he was there to congratulate her in person but instead sent a letter peppered with exclamation points expressing his pride.

Victoire had to move on with her life at Hogwarts as if she hadn't kissed the most wonderful boy in the world and then let him slip through her fingers like the steam. Of course his letters contained nothing about that magnificent moment before she had boarded the train. So she was left to contemplate his words. _I'm seeing her off_. After an entire year analyzing those four words and repeatedly asking Helen to do the same, Victoire gave up and moved on. She filed it away in her haphazard mind and tried to go forward. Clearly Teddy only saw her as his best friend. Maybe that kiss had been an experiment or a goodbye, she would never know. Either way it hurt her more that she thought she could be hurt. With blinding focus she concentrated on her schoolwork more than ever, no one was surprised when the Head Girl badge arrived by owl. She had caught Uncle George watching her carefully at the party that Grandmum Molly had thrown for her. But she turned away and pretended to smile at her family.

Seventh year flew by, ending with Victoire at the top of her class. After graduation she and her friends danced on top of a castle tower barefoot with bottles of champagne, celebrating their youth. She was reluctant to leave the ancient castle she had called home for the past seven years and yet eager for the bright raw future that lay ahead.

Teddy Apparated outside his home on an early June afternoon. He was tanned from the past two weeks spent on Spanish beaches and eager to see his grandmother. Andromeda wept to see her grandson, who knocked over a vase in a manner so like his mother's that she would have cried if he had been just returning from the grocery store. Slowly Teddy made his rounds, first visiting Harry who clapped him on the back and tried not to feel like he was getting older. He made excuses whenever his grandmother mentioned Victoire. In the past year the steady income of letter had slowed before stopping altogether. She had forgotten him, moved on, leaving her childhood friend in the dust with the rest of her playthings, he just knew it. It took him until the middle of August to work up the nerve to see her. At last he Disapparated to Shell Cottage, nerves plucking his internal organs. Of course Fleur answered his knocks and wrapped him in an embrace that smelled of perfume and baking. She didn't have to tell him that Victoire was down at the water because he could see the faint silhouette of a slender girl dark against the shining water. She was in a thin grey sundress that tied in the back with a silk ribbon, the water had splashed up, making the fabric cling to her body in places that distracted him with ease. Teddy didn't even register Dominique's presence until she cleared her throat, "I'm going back, 'Toire," she announced loudly, shooting Teddy a lopsided grin as she passed him. Finally Victoire turned to face him.

She could have said an awkward hello, she could have stared, she could have yelled, or worse started to cry.

But wonderful Victoire only blinked twice before hollering his name and flinging herself at him. "You're back!" she exclaimed, beaming brightly at him. This momentarily dazed him. In the two years he had been absent she had grown even more pretty than anyone person should be allowed to. Teddy felt a brief wave of envy for those Hogwarts schoolboys who had been graced with her presence every day. Then he realized that he was an idiot and every second spent not kissing the girl in front of him only made him more stupid. Upon this realization Teddy Lupin took Victoire Weasley's face in his hands and kissed her firmly. It was a hot, burning, slow kiss that said _I missed you I'm sorry I'm sorry_. This kiss made a puddle of heat in Victoire's abdomen and weakened her knees. She slid her arms across Teddy's broad shoulders to wrap them around his neck and pull him even closer.


End file.
